


Hidden Skin

by teainthetardiswithloki



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Humour, M/M, Plots and Plans, Steve is curious, Tattoos, Tony always wears long sleeves, and a little turned on, but a hilarious dick, clint barton is a dick, steve has a crush, tony stark has tattoos, when he finds out why
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-17
Updated: 2014-08-17
Packaged: 2018-02-13 13:01:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2151672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teainthetardiswithloki/pseuds/teainthetardiswithloki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony Stark always wore long sleeves and it was bugging Steve.</p><p>He was endlessly curious, Tony’s arms would be strong, muscles defined from working in the shop and skin just as tanned as the rest of him and-</p><p>And he just needed to know! It's the middle of summer, why in gods name was Stark still wearing sweat shirts?!</p><p> <br/><a href="http://tea-in-the-tardis.tumblr.com/post/94980816516/the-wordbutler-asediado">Inspired by this picture set on tumblr</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	Hidden Skin

**Author's Note:**

> So this is just a one-shot that I really really needed to write after seeing that edit on tumblr, because damn, Tony Stark's arms with tattoos is a sight I would love to see

Tony sauntered out of the common room kitchen, hands in the pockets of his sweat pants and a grin on his face as he started talking with Jarvis about something workshop related.

Steve watched him go with a fond smile before turning back to his breakfast.

That was when it hit him, what had been bothering him about Tony Stark ever since he’d moved into the man’s tower a month ago.

Tony never wore short sleeves.

Ever.

Steve grabbed a tablet out from under Clint’s hands, completely ignoring the archer’s squawk of protest as he began to Google.

Typing Tony Stark into Google images he scrolled through about six pages of pictures.

The inventor was wearing long sleeved shirts in all of them.

Paparazzi shot or twitter selfie or avengers press picture. Every single one. 

Steve frowned and looked up to the rest of the avengers who were seated around the table, Natasha was looking at him with raised eyebrows. 

“Have any of you guys seen Tony wear short sleeves?”

Natasha’s expression morphed into a frown and Clint looked at him like he’d gone crazy, quickly snatching the tablet back from Steve’s hands.

The archer looked at Steve’s Google search and whistled slowly, “You’ve got it bad huh?”

The captain made an indignant noise, a blush forming across his cheeks, “I’m being serious, something about Tony has been bugging me and I just realised. He always wears shirts with sleeves.”

“Oh come on Steve, we all know you just want to stare at his biceps” Clint said and Thor laughed from across the table as Steve’s blush started to spread down his neck.

“Come on Clint, don’t be stupid.” He looked to Bruce and Natasha, his apparently only sane team mates who didn’t think he was in love with Tony Stark, “Back me up here guys, it’s a bit weird right?”

Natasha hummed in thought before she spoke up, “You do have a point. Even when I was being Natalie Rushman I never saw him in short sleeves.” She paused to frown slightly, “Actually I think he might have been doing that on purpose.” 

“So,” Bruce said, a lazy half smile on his face, “Are we going to start operation let’s get Tony Stark out of his clothes then are we?”

“I volunteer Steve for that job seeing as he wants to see Tony naked so bad.” Clint grinned

Steve just sighed as he felt his face heat further, “You are impossible Clint.” The captain looked back at Bruce, “Come on Bruce, you can’t tell me you’re not just a little bit curious.”

Bruce grinned, “Operation get Tony out of his clothes begins now, then?”

Thor laughed as he slammed a fist on the table, “I shall enjoy participating in this game! Perhaps one of us should challenge him to a sparring match no? He would not fight in a sweat shirt.”

Clint’s grin got wider, “I volunteer!”

Steve raised an eyebrow, “I thought I was the one who wanted to get Tony out of his clothes?”

“Well captain, if you want the honours-“

Steve smacked him over the back of the head with a smile as he got up to head towards the kitchen with his empty plate, “Just, give it a go Clint, report back with your findings.”

The archer stood from the table and flicked him a lazy salute, “Aye aye Captain.”

Steve shook his head in exasperation. So what if he thought Tony was attractive, it’s not like he was going to jump the man. 

He bit his lip as he washed up his plate. He was endlessly curious though, Tony’s arms would no doubt be strong, muscles defined from working in the shop and skin just as tanned as the rest of him and-

Steve gave himself a mental shake. Pull yourself together Rogers, sleeping with team mates is always a bad idea.

Even if they are as damnably attractive as one Tony Stark.

 

OOOOO

 

When Clint collapsed onto the sofa that night with a sigh, nursing a bruised wrist, he shook his head at Steve’s hopeful look.

“Sorry man, I tried but he wore long-sleeved skins the whole damn time.”

Steve sighed and Bruce grinned, “My turn then?” the Captain raised an eyebrow at him and he grinned even wider, “Lab accidents can be messy you know, he might just need to take his shirt off and jump in the shower.”

“So you’re all behind this now are you?” Steve asked with a grin as he looked around at his teammates.

“Just for your sake Steve, we all know you just want to see as much of his skin as you can before you man up and ask if you can touch rather than just look” Steve opened his mouth to protest but Clint just grinned and continued right over the top of him, “Plus, you’ve got me curious now. Like, what if he has a bionic arm or something? How cool would that be?”

Natasha smirked as Bruce stood from the couch and headed towards the elevator, “If you fail Bruce I have a few ideas.”

The doctor raised an eyebrow as the elevator doors began to close, “For Tony’s sake I hope I succeed.”

 

OOOOO

 

Tony was a genius. Certified. And his team weren’t being a subtle as they thought they were.

Clint had tried to get him to spar without a shirt on, Bruce had spilled some chemicals on him and tried to insist he use the emergency shower in the lab, Thor had flat out asked him if he was hot in his long sleeves and if he should not put a cooler shirt on and Natasha had ‘accidentally’ ripped the top of his sweatshirt while practicing with her throwing knives in the kitchen.

She was practicing throwing knives. In the kitchen.

Too bad he had been wearing a t-shirt underneath and the rip had been at the shoulder seam.

Tony shook his head with a grin as he got in the elevator to head to the common floor for lunch. Steve was the only one who hadn’t tried anything yet, and Tony was curious as to what the good captain would come up with.

He frowned when the elevator stopped on the common floor but the doors hadn’t opened.

“Jarvis, what the hell?”

“Sir, I believe the conversation currently occurring between your teammates might interest you.”

Tony grinned at the hint of mischief in his AI’s voice, “Give me audio J.”

“Of course Sir,” And if the AI had a face he would have been grinning from ear to ear.

Clint’s voice drifted through the speakers, “Look capsicle, we all know you just want to see how muscled Tony’s arms are so you can admire them from a distance and then not-“

“For Christ’s sake Clint, I know you’re just as curious as I am.” Tony grinned at the sound of Steve voice, if he had visual Steve would definitely be blushing, the sort that reached right down his neck and past his shirt collar.

“I want to know why he only ever wears long sleeves yeah, but I’m not the one who wants to bang him.”

Tony heard Steve’s groan of frustration and grinned. Him and the captain had been dancing around each other for awhile now. Tony had been toning down his usual level of flirt because he didn’t know how comfortable Steve would be, what with Tony being a guy and all.

But apparently Steve wanted to get him out of his clothes.

Tony paused before a lop-sided grin took over his face, yeah, he really didn’t have any problems with that. 

“Jarvis, give them some notice of the elevator arriving and then let me out. And next time Steve looks like making his way down to the lab to find me, give me some notice. I think he might be due for a surprise.”

“It would be my pleasure Sir.”

Tony smirked, he never failed to feel just a little proud of how mischievous Jarvis could be.

 

OOOOO

 

It’s been three weeks of trying to get Tony out of his long sleeves and none of them had been successful yet.

Steve sighed as he stepped into the elevator with a sandwich and had Jarvis take it down to the lab. Tony needed to eat, and Steve liked to watch him work. It was fascinating how Tony could build such intricate machines out of almost nothing.

He bit his lip at the elevator came to a stop and he stepped out, looking at his feet. Okay, so maybe he did have it bad. 

“Hey Tony, I brought you –“

Steve cut himself off with a blink as he froze.

Tony was leaning over his workbench, palms resting on the edges of the table as he scrutinised the mid-section of the suit that was in pieces in front of him. He was wearing a short sleeved button up.

Short. Sleeved.

Steve’s brain almost short circuited as he took in Tony’s arms, just as well muscled as he’d imagined. What he hadn’t imagined however was the myriad of black and white tattoos that covered them from the wrists up. 

When he managed to tear his eyes from the inked skin in front of him and meet Tony’s gaze he found Stark smirking at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Like what you see Rogers?”

Steve walked towards him, taking in Tony’s knowing smirk and his position leaning against the table with his arms so clearly visible. 

He put the sandwich on the table, “You knew didn’t you?”

Tony outright grinned as he walked around the table to beside Steve, “I have no idea what you’re talking about Steve.” The inventor smiled sweetly up at him and he took a bite of the sandwich.

Steve let him finish it and there was a short silence as Steve’s hands clenched into fists at his sides and Tony just continued to smirk at him.

“You lot weren’t exactly being subtle you know.” Tony said and Steve took a deep breath

He wanted to touch those arms. To get that shirt off Tony and see if the tattoos continued across his chest or down his back

Steve clenched his jaw, but when Tony smirked at him with a raised eyebrow, looking up through his lashes, he couldn’t help himself. He pushed Tony up against the worktable, the inventor’s spine hitting the edge as Steve blocked him in.

There was a second of silence before Steve spoke, “To answer your earlier question, yes, I very much like what I see.” he said, his voice a few octaves lower than usual

Steve watched as Tony’s lips stretched into a grin and his eyes lit up with contained laughter, “I thought you might say that.”

Steve stood still as Tony’s arms moved to wrap around his neck, the short nails of one hand dragging down the back of his neck. He shuddered slightly at the sensation and wrapped his arms around Tony’s waist, bringing them chest to chest while he moved one leg to push between Tony’s thighs. 

He smirked a little in satisfaction as Tony’s breathing got a little harder and he pushed his hips forward into the pressure. Tony’s tongue flicked out to wet his lips and Steve’s eyes followed the movement, unable to stop himself from staring at Tony’s mouth.

Said mouth curved into a smirk, “So are you going to kiss me or what Rogers?”

Steve grinned, pushing his thigh against Tony a little harder just to watch his breathing quicken and feel the stiff length growing against his leg, “Is that what you want Tony?”

“Fuck yes.” Tony muttered before surging forward, using his grip on the back of Steve’s neck to pull his mouth down into a kiss that quickly turned deep and dirty, Tony biting at his lips and pushing his tongue into his mouth.

Steve gave as good as he got before he grinned against Tony’s lips as he pulled back, taking in the dark patterns at Tony’s upper arms, defining the muscle of his bicep as his hand tightened on the back of Steve’s neck.

“If this is the reaction I get I’m never wearing sleeves again.” Tony muttered through heavy breaths and Steve laughed.

“That is more than fine by me Tony. Excellent even.”


End file.
